Can Believers Convert the Masses by Pointing Fingers


Every time I think the faith might be waking up and smelling the roses, I read another post about how those who don't believe need to be shouted at as fools. Bible verses need to be quoted. 

Today I read about how alarming it is so many young people are leaving the faith. One would think commenters would discuss what they could do to make the faith more attractive. Not a word about that. When young people leave the faith there is something wrong with them, not with the faith or those in the faith. The latter has nothing wrong them. The former flawed. 

We must remember the faith is able to diagnose the flaw in non believers. The ancients who wrote the Bible were geniuses at this. They diagnosed non believers as having "hardened hearts." Hardened hearts is merely another way of saying, "They ask for evidence." Apparently anyone who asks for evidence is under the influence of Satan. Those who just make stuff up or falsely claim to hear it from invisible beings are the Godly people.

The link and commenters warn those young people who spurn the faith they will be sorry when judgment day arrives. For some reason believers think young people, and even old duffers like me, think there is actually some real place like heaven/hell. Believers don't realize this is a bridge too far for modern people.  

It's popular for Christian pundits to claim the Bible says they are a group apart from their society. This is exactly the opposite to what Paul instructed. He said to con converts, pretend you are a native of their group. When Christians are obnoxious, like anti abortion protestors, they don't bring anyone into their group. They drive people away. And so it is with quoting from an ancient book modern people do not think is important. Prcdicting an eternity in hell is among the most obnoxious and most least believable of all Christian propaganda.

Even though it is explained to them regularly, many Christians cannot understand that when a non believer hears the "Christian message," to their ears it sounds exactly like the Pagan message sounds to the Christian's ears. If all Christians could master this simple skill it would benefit the faith.

Comments

  1. Ardy BApril 11, 2022 at 6:40 AM

    Jon,
    I’m running on grey-matter-lite as well.

    It doesn’t surprise me that someone with this thought imprinted on their cortex points a finger at others: “[I] have the perfectly true Word of God, interpreted by the infallible Spirit of God, who has sealed [me] in Jesus Christ. These weapons of [my] warfare are invincible, if [I] will only make use of them.”¹ Whew!

    Progressive Christianity is mentioned as a different version of the faith and considered an apostasy in the article linked below.² Near as I can tell from the article progressive Christianity holds that Jesus isn’t so much the divine Son of God, but rather a moral example. You should just follow certain rules and be kind to your neighbor. God does not get pissed at you and loves you no matter your path. Sin, anger, and punishment are worldly affairs. Sounds like a reasonable place to retreat to if you’re trying to sort out your faith.

    But we’re told: “If you don’t have a divine Jesus and if you reduce it all to moralism and there’s no real fall or sin then the cross isn’t really anything that saves you. When you look at the cross, it’s just a good example of a good person. It’s not really good news.”

    ¹ https://www.christianpost.com/voices/i-am-master-of-my-faith-how-dumping-christianity-is-trending.html


    ² What is progressive Christianity? | Reformed Theological Seminary](https://rts.edu/resources/what-is-progressive-christianity/#)

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Christianity

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